Motorcycle Jacket with Passenger Safety Grips

ABSTRACT

A jacket to be worn by a driver of a vehicle, such as a motorcycle, in which hand-grips are fixed to the rear of the jacket. A pair of hand-grips may be mounted on the upper rear of the jacket, with another pair of hand-grips optionally mounted on the lower rear of the jacket. The hand-grips have ends which are fixed to the jacket and a central portion projecting rearwardly from the jacket and have a length such that they can be grasped by a hand of a passenger of the vehicle to provide increased stability to the passenger. Among the many different possibilities contemplated, the jacket may have hand-grips that are sown or riveted to the jacket, which may be collapsible or flexible, which may be of specific lengths, and which may be concealed by various means, including a zipper enclosure.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a continuation application of U.S. provisional patent application, Ser. No. 61/443,436, filed Feb. 16, 2011, for JACKET GRIPS, by Jose Alvarado Jr., included by reference herein and for which benefit of the priority date is hereby claimed.

FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH

Not applicable.

SEQUENCE LISTING OR PROGRAM

Not applicable.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates to a safety motorcycle garment and, more particularly, to a motorcycle jacket with safety grips mounted on the rear for manual grasping thereof by a passenger of an associated motorcycle.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Motorcycles are a popular mode of transportation. They are fuel efficient, fun, and accelerate quickly. Motorcycles generally have an elongated seat that can accommodate a passenger riding in tandem with the driver. However, passengers are often reluctant to ride in tandem because of the general feeling of instability experienced while riding behind the driver, as well as the dangerous possibility of unsaddlement, especially in the event of rapid acceleration or deceleration of the motorcycle.

Typically, in order to stabilize oneself, a tandem passenger will hold onto the seat, luggage rack, or any readily available and graspable structure of the motorcycle. These methods of providing stability are generally unsatisfactory, so the passenger typically attempts to hold onto the driver of the motorcycle. However, this method is also unsatisfactory as drivers have variable girth and passengers have variable arm length, and often the two are not compatible or conducive to providing the passenger with stability. Additionally, even in situations where the passenger's arms are long enough to circumscribe the driver's girth, the strength of the passenger's grasp may be insufficient to provide stability or prevention of unsaddlement in the event of rapid acceleration, deceleration, or other application of inertial forces.

Past attempts to address this issue include apparatus or devices connected to the vehicle, harnesses incorporated into garments, and apparatus or devices connected to belts to be worn by the driver.

In U.S. Pat. No. 6,244,611 (the '611 patent) a bicycle seat harness is disclosed wherein a belt strap is wrapped around the waist of a rider and attached to the seat post. In U.S. Pat. No. 6,896,279 (the '279 patent) handgrips are disclosed wherein the handgrips are fixedly attached to the fuel tank of the motorcycle. While the former only addresses the driver, both suffer from the requirement that modifications be made a priori to the vehicle.

In order to address the problem of requiring modifications to the vehicle, attempts have been made to provide an apparatus with which a tandem passenger can grasp that is not incorporated into the vehicle itself. In U.S. Pat. No. 7,818,818 (the '818 patent) a drag harness is taught wherein a harness is disposed within a protective coat. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,619,955 (the '955 patent) a harness is taught wherein the harness is secured around the upper torso of a driver and gripping handles are attached to the harness. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,560,097 (the '097 patent) a harness for securing a child passenger is taught. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,429,419 (the '419 patent) a vest garment is taught wherein belt members encircle the drivers torso and support hand straps. These solutions suffer from the need for the driver to don apparel that is not generally worn by the driver or to place harness structures over the apparel generally worn by the driver.

In U.S. Pat. No. 3,487,474 (the '474 patent) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,081,719 (the '719 patent), a belt is taught wherein hand-grips are fixed to the rear of the belt. These solutions similarly suffer from the need for the driver to place belt structures over the apparel generally worn by the driver.

Therefore, there is a need for improved apparatus for providing passenger stability and prevention of unsaddlement which does not require modifications to the motorcycle or require the driver to don special apparatus over his or her generally worn motorcycle attire.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to a motorcycle jacket to be worn by a driver of a motorcycle, in which a pair of elongated upper hand-grips are fixed to the rear of the jacket and spaced equidistantly from the upper center of the jacket. Each upper hand-grip has a central portion projecting rearwardly from the jacket and has a length such that it can be grasped by a hand of a passenger of the vehicle. The ends of each upper hand-grip are fixed to the rear of the jacket. The upper hand-grips allow a passenger to grasp them, and thus provide the passenger with increased stability.

Among the many different possibilities contemplated, the jacket may have upper hand-grips that are sown to the jacket, or riveted to the jacket. The upper hand-grips may be collapsible, or they may be flexible. In order to easily accommodate grasping by a human hand, the upper hand-grips may be between four and seven inches in length.

It is further contemplated that the upper hand-grips could be concealed within the jacket until needed. Such concealment can be accomplished with a zipper enclosure.

It is further contemplated that the jacket can include an additional pair of lower hand-grips fixed to the rear of the jacket and spaced equidistantly from the lower center of the jacket. Each lower hand-grip has a central portion projecting rearwardly from the jacket and has a length such that it can be grasped by a hand of a passenger of the vehicle. The ends of each lower hand-grip are fixed to the rear of the jacket.

It is further contemplated that the jacket may have lower hand-grips that are sown to the jacket, or riveted to the jacket. The lower hand-grips may be collapsible, or they may be flexible. In order to easily accommodate grasping by a human hand, the upper hand-grips may be between four and six inches in length, or they may be shorter than the upper hand-grips.

It is further contemplated that the lower hand-grips, and optionally the upper hand-grips, could be concealed within the jacket until needed. Such concealment can be accomplished with a zipper enclosure.

Various objects, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention, along with the accompanying drawings in which like numerals represent like components.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A complete understanding of the present invention may be obtained by reference to the accompanying drawings, when considered in conjunction with the subsequent, detailed description, in which:

FIG. 1 is a rear view of a motorcycle jacket with safety upper hand-grips.

FIG. 2 is a rear view of a motorcycle jacket with upper hand-grips and lower hand-grips.

FIG. 3 is a rear view of a motorcycle jacket with upper hand-grips semi-concealed in a zipper enclosure.

For purposes of clarity and brevity, like elements and components will bear the same designations and numbering throughout the Figures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Before the invention is described in further detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the particular embodiments described, as such may, of course, vary. It is also to be understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only, and not intended to be limiting, since the scope of the present invention will be limited only by the appended claims.

Where a range of values is provided, it is understood that each intervening value, to the tenth of the unit of the lower limit unless the context clearly dictates otherwise, between the upper and lower limit of that range and any other stated or intervening value in that stated range is encompassed with the invention. The upper and lower limits of these smaller ranges may independently be included in the smaller ranges is also encompassed within the invention, subject to any specifically excluded limit in the stated range. Where the stated range includes one or both of the limits, ranges excluding either or both of those included limits are also included in the invention.

Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. Although any methods and materials similar or equivalent to those described herein can also be used in the practice or testing of the present invention, a limited number of the exemplary methods and materials are described herein.

It must be noted that as used herein and in the appended claims, the singular forms “a”, “an”, and “the” include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

All publications mentioned herein are incorporated herein by reference to disclose and describe the methods and/or materials in connection with which the publications are cited. The publications discussed herein are provided solely for their disclosure prior to the filing date of the present application. Nothing herein is to be construed as an admission that the present invention is not entitled to antedate such publication by virtue of prior invention. Further, if dates of publication are provided, they may be different from the actual publication dates and may need to be confirmed independently.

Referring now to FIGS. 1-3, there is generally depicted a motorcycle jacket 100 adapted to by worn by a driver of a motorcycle. The motorcycle jacket 100 is provided with upper hand-grips 110, including upper hand-grip ends 120 which are affixed to motorcycle jacket 100. The motorcycle jacket 100 is generally constructed of leather, but may be constructed of any sufficiently durable material to enable secure fixation of the upper hand-grip ends 120 to the motorcycle jacket 100.

The method by which the upper hand-grip ends 120 are affixed to the motorcycle jacket 100 may be any sufficiently durable fixation to enable the upper hand-grips 110 to remain securely attached to the motorcycle jacket 100 in the event of rapid acceleration, deceleration, or other application of inertial forces upon the passenger. Methods of fixating include sowing, riveting, or gluing the upper hand-grip ends 120 to the motorcycle jacket 100. As shown in FIGS. 1-3, the upper hand-grips 110 are shown affixed in an orientation along the vertical axis. It should be appreciated that the upper hand-grips 110 can also be advantageously affixed along the horizontal axis, or at any offset thereof.

The upper hand-grips 110 may be rigidly elongated hand-grips constructed of plastic, fiberglass, metal or any sufficiently durable material sufficient to withstand the grasping of a human hand. The upper hand-grips 110 may be flexibly elongated hand-grips constructed of plastic, cloth, leather or any sufficiently durable material sufficient to withstand the grasping of a human hand. In order to easily accommodate the grasp of a human hand, in one embodiment the upper hand-grips 120 are between four and seven inches in length. In another embodiment, the upper hand-grips 120 are collapsible so that they are not so prominent when not us use.

FIG. 2 generally depicts a motorcycle jacket 100 with upper hand-grips 110 and lower hand-grips 210, including upper hand-grip ends 120 and lower hand-grips ends 220 which are affixed to motorcycle jacket 100. The method by which the lower hand-grip ends 220 are affixed to the motorcycle jacket 100 may be any sufficiently durable fixation to enable the lower hand-grips 210 to remain securely attached to the motorcycle jacket 100 in the event of rapid acceleration, deceleration, or other application of inertial forces upon the passenger. Methods of fixating include sowing, riveting, or gluing the upper hand-grip ends 220 to the motorcycle jacket 100. The lower hand-grips 210 are shown affixed in an orientation along the vertical axis. It should be appreciated that the lower hand-grips 210 can also be advantageously affixed along the horizontal axis, or at any offset thereof.

The lower hand-grips 210 may be rigidly elongated hand-grips constructed of plastic, fiberglass, metal or any sufficiently durable material sufficient to withstand the grasping of a human hand. The lower hand-grips 210 may be flexibly elongated hand-grips constructed of plastic, cloth, leather or any sufficiently durable material sufficient to withstand the grasping of a human hand. In order to easily accommodate the grasp of a human hand, in one embodiment the lower hand-grips 210 are between four and six inches in length. In another embodiment, the lower hand-grips 210 are shorter than the upper hand-grips 110. In another embodiment, the lower hand-grips 220 are collapsible so that they are not so prominent when not us use.

FIG. 3 generally depicts a motorcycle jacket 100 with upper hand-grips 110, including upper hand-grip ends 120 which are affixed to motorcycle jacket 100, wherein each upper hand-grip 110 can be concealed within a zipper enclosure 310. The zipper enclosure 310 allows the upper hand-grips 110 to be stowed within the enclosure and thus be concealed when not in use. The upper hand-grips 110 could also be stowed within an enclosure secured by means other than a zipper, such as buttons, clasps, hooks, and the like. In other embodiments, the zipper enclosure 310 could be oriented on a horizontal axis, or any offset thereof. In other embodiments, lower hand-grips could also be concealed within like zipper enclosures.

Thus, specific compositions and methods of a motorcycle jacket with passenger safety grips have been disclosed. It should be apparent, however, to those skilled in the art that many more modifications besides those already described are possible without departing from the inventive concepts herein. The inventive subject matter, therefore, is not to be restricted except in the spirit of the disclosure. Moreover, in interpreting the disclosure, all terms should be interpreted in the broadest possible manner consistent with the context. In particular, the terms “comprises” and “comprising” should be interpreted as referring to elements, components, or steps in a non-exclusive manner, indicating that the referenced elements, components, or steps may be present, or utilized, or combined with other elements, components, or steps that are not expressly referenced.

Having thus described the invention, what is desired to be protected by Letters Patent is presented in the subsequently appended claims. 

1. A motorcycle jacket adapted to be worn by a driver of a motorcycle, comprising: a pair of elongated upper hand-grips spaced equidistantly from the upper center of the rear of the motorcycle jacket, the ends of each upper hand-grip fixed to the rear of the motorcycle jacket, and each upper hand-grip having a central portion projecting rearwardly from the jacket and having a length such that it can be grasped by a hand of the passenger.
 2. The motorcycle jacket as recited in claim 1 wherein said upper hand-grip ends are sown to the jacket.
 3. The motorcycle jacket as recited in claim 1 wherein said upper hand-grip ends are riveted to the jacket.
 4. The motorcycle jacket as recited in claim 1 wherein said upper hand-grips are collapsible.
 5. The motorcycle jacket as recited in claim 1 wherein said upper hand-grips are flexible.
 6. The motorcycle jacket as recited in claim 1 wherein said upper hand-grips are between four and seven inches in length.
 7. The motorcycle jacket as recited in claim 1 including means to conceal said upper hand-grips.
 8. The motorcycle jacket as recited in claim 7 wherein said concealment means including a zipper closure member for each said upper hand-grip.
 9. The motorcycle jacket as recited in claim 1 including a pair of elongated flexible lower hand-grips spaced equidistantly from the lower center of the rear of the motorcycle jacket, the ends of each lower hand-grip fixed to the rear of the motorcycle jacket, and each lower hand-grip having a central portion projecting rearwardly from the motorcycle jacket and having a length such that it can be grasped by a hand of the passenger.
 10. The motorcycle jacket as recited in claim 9 wherein said lower hand-grip ends are sown to the jacket.
 11. The motorcycle jacket as recited in claim 9 wherein said lower hand-grip ends are riveted to the jacket.
 12. The motorcycle jacket as recited in claim 9 wherein lower hand-grips are collapsible.
 13. The motorcycle jacket as recited in claim 9 wherein said lower hand-grips are between four and six inches in length.
 14. The motorcycle jacket as recited in claim 9 wherein said lower hand-grips are shorter in length than said upper hand-grips.
 15. The motorcycle jacket as recited in claim 9 including means to conceal said lower hand-grips
 16. The motorcycle jacket as recited in claim 15 wherein said concealment means including a zipper closure member for each said lower hand-grip.
 17. The motorcycle jacket as recited in claim 9 including means to conceal said upper hand-grips and said lower hand-grips, said concealment means including a zipper closure member for each said upper hand-grip and lower hand-grip. 